Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Monday 8 January, of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

Notes:* Indicates a Question for Oral Answer.+ Indicates a Question not included in the random selection process but accepted because the quota for that day had not been filled.[N] Indicates a Question for Written Answer on a named day, i.e. the Member has indicated under S.O. No. 22(4) the day on which he wishes the Question to be answered.[R] Indicates that a relevant interest has been declared.Questions handed in between Friday 22nd December 2000 and Wednesday 3rd January 2001 are marked thus¶A

MONDAY 8th JANUARY

1 N

Mr David Curry (Skipton and Ripon): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many male senior civil servants in his Department have been offered financial incentives to take early retirement in order to enable the promotion of officials who are female.

(144306)

2 N

Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many civil servants are employed in work relating to agriculture; what proportion of these are dealing (a) wholly and (b) partly with farm subsidies; and what proportion each category represents of the total number of civil servants.

(144252)

3 N

Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what the net contribution is of agriculture to GDP in England in each of the past three years after the deduction of subsidies, concessions on diesel, reductions in council taxes on farm buildings and farmland and the relevant Civil Service costs.

(144251)

4 N

Mr Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of current minimum (a) mesh size and (b) landing size on EU hake stocks.

(144269)

5 N

Mr Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) age profile and (b) health of the stock of bass in (i) Area VII and (ii) all fishing zones applicable to the UK fishing industry.

(144270)

6 N

Mr Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of industrial fishing on (a) fish stocks which feed from sand eels and pelagic stock targeted by those engaged in industrial fishing and (b) the UK fishing industry.

(144272)

7 N

Mr Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the impact of the quota settlement for 2001 agreed between EU fisheries ministers in December, upon (a) each fish stock, (b) the overall economic future of the UK fishing industry and (c) the economic future for members of each UK producer organisation.

(144271)

8 N

Mr Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what the total UK sea bass landings were for each of the last five years.

(144268)

9

Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what the outcome was of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 19th and 20th December; and if he will make a statement.

(144176)

10 N

Ms Tess Kingham (Gloucester): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what quantity of water was released as a result of the opening of the Leigh barrier on the Medway on (a) 12th and (b) 13th October and over what period of time; what estimates were made by the responsible staff at the time of the opening of the barrier as to the effect on the village of Yalding and its surrounding area; what assessment he has made of the level of flooding in the Yalding area had the barrier not been opened; and what evidence he uses to support his assessment.

(144450)

11 N

Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make it his policy to use the members' letterboard for urgent communications with honourable Members only, and to send all routine correspondence by Royal Mail.

(144448)

12 N

Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment the Environment Agency has made of the compatiblity of the surface water drainage in Shrewsbury with proposed flood defence schemes; and if he will make a statement.

(144098)

13 N

Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what progress has been made to establish the level of funding paid by the Regional Flood Defence Committee for a new flood defence scheme in Shrewsbury; and if he will make a statement.

(144100)

14 N

Sir Brian Mawhinney (North West Cambridgeshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he will reply to the letter from the Right honourable Member for North West Cambridgeshire of 24th May on behalf of his constituent, Mrs Brown.

(143934)

15

Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what quantities of each fish species have been banked and approved by the European Commission for each EU member state for 2001.

(144436)

16

Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the species of fish and their related areas of catchment that have been the subject of quota banking and borrowing for the year 2001.

(144435)

17

Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what quantity of the United Kingdom fish quota, by species, has been banked by the producer organisations; and what quantity of the United Kingdom fish quota, by species, has been managed by his Department on behalf of the non-sector and under 10m sector for 2001.

(144434)

18 N

Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many area officers are employed by his Department to deal with farming matters; and if he will make a statement.

(143948)

19 N

Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many farmers have been paid the advanced suckler cow premium since 1st November; how many are awaiting payment; and if he will make a statement on progess regarding the regular payment of the ASCP on an agreed basis.

(143950)

20 N

Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will add interest at the rate of 8 per cent. to the advanced suckler cow premium due to be paid to farmers on 6th December; and if he will make a statement.

(143949)

21 N

Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what steps he is taking to protect badgers in areas where tuberculosis is increasing (a) in the West Country and (b) nationally.

(143951)

22 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has received from farmers on a UK derogation from the EU ban on fishmeal in ruminant animal feed; and if he will make a statement.

(144341)

23 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if the Government will raise the limits on the number of overseas seasonal farm workers entering this country under approved schemes.

(144324)

24 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the comments made by Professor Harriet Kimbell at a departmental news conference concerning SEAC's meeting on 28th November 2000.

(144345)

25 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what commercial activities are prescribed by the voluntary agreement with the GM industry on GM crop trials.

(144375)

26 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what restrictions apply to the publication of official scientific advice on BSE risks.

(144392)

27 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on his plans to introduce an industry levy in order to part-fund compensation for pig farmers hit by swine fever indicating whether proceeds from the levy can be used for other purposes.

(144388)

28 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment the Government has made of the impact of GM agriculture on farmland values.

(144339)

29 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when the GM Communications Unit was formed.

(144347)

30 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the GM communications unit.

(144264)

31 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has made to his counterparts in EU member states on the prevention of fraud in relation to the import of over-30-month beef into the UK.

(144325)

32 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what actions the Government has taken in respect of meat and livestock products imported from South Africa following the current outbreak of foot and mouth disease there.

(144261)

33 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on his policy regarding a pesticides tax.

(144395)

34 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what proportion of the payments from the Capital Modernisation Fund has been made to (a) his Department, (b) statutory bodies overseen by his Department, (c) the Countryside Agency, (d) English Nature, (e) the Environment Agency and (f) rural local authorities.

(144397)

35 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on shellfish fisheries in the United Kingdom.

(144260)

36 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what asssessment he has made of advice issued by the Food Standards Agency to British consumers concerning French beef.

(144317)

37 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the progress of the prosecution of the French Government for its illegal ban on British beef.

(144346)

38 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the report of the French food agency into the screening of French cattle for BSE; and if he will make a statement.

(144332)

39 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the agricultural shows this year (a) to which (i) he and (ii) other Ministers in his Department have received invitations and (b) which shows (i) he and (ii) each other minister has attended.

(144323)

40 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he was first informed that over 30 month beef could be imported into the UK; and when he first informed the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health of this.

(144333)

41 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he requested advice from the Food Standards Agency concerning the safety of French beef imported into the United Kingdom; what advice he has received; and if he will publish it.

(144335)

42 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if all food served at his Department's official functions meets the standards of production required by domestic producers.

(144331)

43 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will indicate, in respect of each component item of the farm aid package announced on 30th March 2000, (a) if it has been accounted for as DEL or AME expenditure and (b) what proportion has been paid to (i) farmers and (ii) other intended recipients to date.

(144398)

44 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what commitment he gave to visit personally a pig farm placed under swine fever restrictions before the end of the summer recess.

(144376)

45 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what official advice the Government has received on the impact of fishmeal used in ruminant animal feed in the United Kingdom on human or animal health.

(144343)

46 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many tonnes of over-30-month old meat products were (a) imported into the United Kingdom and (b) re-exported from the United Kingdom in each of the last three years, broken down by (i) country of origin, (ii) class of product and (iii) in the case of re-exported material, country of destination.

(144256)

47 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what factors underlie his policy concerning the level of Government funding for research into GM crops.

(144394)

48 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the importing of Britain into ruminant animal feed products that contain meat and bonemeal.

(144327)

49 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when the Government was first informed of the length of official testing of Chardon LL in France.

(144374)

50 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has received from Mr Hugh Leman concerning the entry of imported over-30-month meat into the British food chain.

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many of the samples taken from seed offered for sale and tested for purity between 1st May and 31st October were tested for the presence of GM varieties.

(144344)

53 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on research his Department has sponsored on the copper-manganese BSE theory.

(144263)

54 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what information he has given other Departments concerning the presence of imported over-30-month beef in the British food chain.

(144320)

55 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment the Government has made of the impact of the EU ban on fishmeal in ruminant animal feed on conventional and organic livestock farming in Britain.

(144329)

56 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make it his policy to oppose EU proposals to limit the tractor driving time for farmers.

(144262)

57 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if the voluntary agreement with the GM industry on the conduct of crop trials in the United Kingdom (a) covers trials licensed under a Part C consent and (b) allows the harvesting and storage of GM seed from trial sites before the completion of the crop trials.

(144371)

58 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which of the measures relating to agriculture included in the Rural White Paper had not previously been announced.

(144259)

59 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what estimate he has made of the quantity of beef produced from French cattle imported into Britain from other EU countries in the last 12 months.

(144319)

60 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if fertile seed is being harvested from GM trial sites in the United Kingdom and stored.

(144367)

61 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the impact on beef prices in the United Kingdom of decisions by other EU countries to restrict the import of French beef.

(144322)

62 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what proportion of the items covered by the ban on the sale of over-thirty-month meat products are (a) domestically sourced and (b) imported.

(144370)

63 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans the Government has to make emergency loans available to pig farmers affected by swine fever restrictions.

(144391)

64 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the efficacy of controls designed to stop imported over-30-month beef from entering the British food chain.

(144321)

65

Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what action the Government is taking to improve its handling of major IT projects.

¶(144628)

66

Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many copies of the Government's annual report 1999-2000 have been (a) sold, (b) given away and (c) returned unsold; how many copies are held in stock; and what is the cost of the annual report.

(144130)

67

Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when she last met a member of the Focus 5000 group.

(144150)

68

Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will list the consumer champions in each government department; by what process they were recruited; and what qualfications were required for these posts.

(144462)

69

Ms Candy Atherton (Falmouth and Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps are being taken to protect anglers' interests in respect of bass stocks around the UK coastline; and if he will make a statement.

¶(144573)

70

Ms Candy Atherton (Falmouth and Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has received from anglers and angling organisations regarding bass stocks around the UK coastline.

¶(44574)

71

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people over the age of 75 years receive a free television licence.

(144136)

72

Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has held with the Football Association regarding future plans for Wembley Stadium since the failure of the re-development proposal; what role other sports will play in the revised proposals; and if he will make a statement.

(144517)

73

Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the budgeted running costs and staff numbers in 2000-01 broken down by Government Office region for (a) Sport England, (b) the Arts Council, (c) the British Tourist Authority, (d) the English Tourism Council and (e) English Heritage.

(144279)

74

Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many (a) male and (b) female members there are on each regional arts council board.

(144276)

75

Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the budgeted value of the awards made in 2000-01 in each Government Office region by (a) Sport England and (b) the Arts Council.

(144278)

76

Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the budgeted expenditure in 2000-01 broken down by Government Office region for (a) the British Tourist Authority, (b) the English Tourism Council and (c) English Heritage.

(144277)

77 N

Ms Julie Morgan (Cardiff North): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much Wales has received for cancer services from the New Opportunities Fund.

(144167)

78

Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many pensioners in Wansbeck will benefit from the introduction of the free television licence for persons aged 75 years and over.

(144289)

79 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many pensioners aged 75 years and over in the Vale of Clwyd qualify for a free television licence; and how many of those qualifying had received the licence on the latest date for which figures are available.

(144458)

80 N

Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many disabled people are employed as civilians by the armed forces; what the percentage in employment of disabled people is in the economy as a whole; and if he will make a statement on widening access to and participation by disabled people in such employment.

(144414)

81 N

Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what action he takes to encourage rehabilitation of service personnel who are seriously injured during the course of their duties, and to encourage their absorption into alternative civilian re-employment with the armed forces.

(144415)

82 N

Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proposal he has received from BAe Systems Marine for an alternative shipbuilding strategy for the Type 45 destroyer programme; if this proposal involves a partnership strategy without competition for downstream batches of the class; and if he intends to sign a DFM contract with BAe Systems before a decision has been taken to accept this proposal.

(144038)

83

Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on making public the numbers and locations of Untied States' sub-strategic nuclear weapons based in European countries.

(144424)

84 N

Mrs Ann Cryer (Keighley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the extent to which the contribution of nuclear-powered submarines to the proposed European Rapid Reaction Force is consistent with the Government's commitment to ensuring a diminishing role for nuclear weapons in security policies under the Non-Proliferation Treaty final document.

(144106)

85

Mr Quentin Davies (Grantham and Stamford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what manpower reductions are necessary to the crew of HMS Invincible during 2001 so that HMS Ark Royal can be brought up to a full complement.

(144404)

86

Mr Quentin Davies (Grantham and Stamford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when in 2001 HMS Invincible will carry out her last operational duties at sea before refit.

(144405)

87

Mr Quentin Davies (Grantham and Stamford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when in 2002 HMS Ark Royal is expected to be declared fully operational.

(144403)

88

Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what restrictions prevent (a) wives and (b) children accompanying British servicemen posted overseas from (i) moving freely and (ii) crossing borders, without the permission of the serviceman or military authorities; and what steps are taken to explain the restrictions to those to whom they apply.

(144165)

89 N

Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many vehicles are assigned to the Army Security Service; under whose command they are operated; and if he will make a statement.

(143710)

90 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent representations he has received from service personnel who have undergone experiments at Porton Down.

(144476)

91 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the chemicals used in experiments on service personnel at Porton Down.

(144477)

92 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many deaths of service personnel were directly attributable to chemical weapons experiments at Porton Down.

(144478)

93

Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has received concerning requests from lawyers that former prisoners of war of the Japanese should pay them a contribution from the payment awarded by the Government; and if he will make a statement.

[R](144133)

94

Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements are being made to ensure that service personnel are given an appropriate measure of priority for medical treatment; and at what expense.

(144511)

95

Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when he last met groups of students, sponsored by his Department for a week-long study of the European institutions; what the nature of that study was; what the role of his Department was; what funds were available to the groups; and if he will make a statement.

¶(144570)

96 N

Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what consultations he has had with interested parties about the implications of the new Workstep programme for the economic viability and maintenance of employment in sheltered employment factories.

(144265)

97 N

Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, who has led the United Kingdom delegation to the Commonwealth Education Ministers triennial conference on each of the last five occasions.

(144266)

98 N

Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the nature was of the parliamentary business which occasioned the withdrawal of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the honourable Member for Croydon North, from leadership of the British delegation to the Commonwealth Education Ministers' Conference in Halifax, Canada, in November 2000.

[R](144283)

99

Mr John Cummings (Easington): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on the most recent OFSTED report on Northlea Comprehensive School, Seaham, Co. Durham.

(144328)

100 N

Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will take steps to ensure that impartial information on abortion and early motherhood is made available to pupils in schools as a part of their sex education.

(144188)

101 N

Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what Ofsted's policy is regarding the use of red pens for marking children's school work.

(143944)

102

Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list each item and programme which make up his Department's payments to Lancashire County Council in order to fund their education budget; and which of these items are taken into account in determining the figure for calculating the Local Schools Budget.

(144427)

103

Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps he is taking to improve the consistency of decisions on special educational needs resources across the country; and if he will make a statement.

(144484)

104

Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many local education authorities in (a) Greater London and (b) the rest of England and Wales are currently unable to offer permanent places to all pupils in secondary schools within their boundaries; what efforts are they making to provide an education to those pupils; what support his Department is providing to them; and if he will make a statement.

(144485)

105 N

Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if it is his policy to reduce the gap between the funding per pupil in primary and secondary sectors in Worcestershire and the respective national average for both sectors; and if he will make a statement.

(144507)

106 N

Dr John Marek (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps he has taken to promote nursing as a career among school children in England.

¶(144571)

107 N

Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what representations he has received from LEAs on the level of teacher recruitment.

(143936)

108 N

Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the communications sent from his Department to (a) local education authorities and (b) schools in the last two months on teacher recruitment and teacher supply.

(143938)

109 N

Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what representations he has received from LEAs on the level of education funding in the local government settlement.

(143940)

110 N

Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what representations he has received from representative bodies of (a) head teachers, (b) teachers and (c) directors of education on teacher supply and staff vacancies.

(143935)

111 N

Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the meetings held between Ministers in his Department and representatives of LEAs, individually or collectively, to discuss education funding for 2001-02.

(143937)

112 N

Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what research his Department has undertaken into the reasons for which teachers are leaving the profession.

(143939)

113

Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much has been allocated in each Government Office region for TECs in 2000-01.

(144172)

114

Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the budgeted expenditure is for 2000-01 by region of the (a) Further Education Funding Council and (b) Higher Education Funding Council.

(144156)

115

Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the budgeted running costs and staff numbers are for 2000-01 for the regional offices of (a) the Further Education Funding Council and (b) the Higher Education Funding Council.

(144152)

116

Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what are the budgeted running costs and staff numbers for 2000-01 for the training and enterprise councils, broken down by region.

(144157)

117

Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many people in Wansbeck have benefited from the introduction of the New Deal for 50 plus.

(144290)

118

Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what course of action is open to schools who wish to challenge the accuracy of school league tables; and if amended league tables are published in the event of errors being discovered.

(144291)

119

Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many young people aged 18 to 24 in Wansbeck have found employment as a result of the New Deal programme.

(144288)

120

Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what percentage of children aged (a) five, (b) six and (c) seven are taught in classes of over 30 in schools in Wansbeck; and what were the comparable 1997 figures.

(144287)

121

Mr Patrick Nicholls (Teignbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much additional grant has been given to education authorities to provide safer school transport in each of the last five years.

(144455)

122 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many people have benefited from the introduction of the New Deals in the Vale of Clwyd, broken down by each New Deal category.

(144452)

123

Angela Smith (Basildon): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much additional funding has been made available to schools in (a) Essex, (b) Thurrock and (c) the Basildon constituency (i) as a result of the Chancellor's Pre-Budget Statement and (ii) since 1997.

(144148)

124 N

Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, in which curriculum subjects truth, kindness, good manners and courage are taught.

(144012)

125 N

Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, which of his Ministers has visited India since May 1997; what the purpose of each visit was; by whom these Ministers were accompanied, including family members; and what the cost to his Department was of each trip.

(144014)

126 N

Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, which of his Ministers is due to visit India in the next three months; what the purpose of the visits will be; by whom Ministers will be accompanied, including family members or partners; and what the estimated cost of the visit is.

(144013)

127

Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much was spent on schools in Staffordshire in each year since 1997; and how much in each case was delivered outside the statutory spending assessment funding formula.

(144469)

128

Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what proportion of shared ownership sales in (a) London and (b) England were to (i) existing local authority registered social landlord tenants, (ii) people in housing priority groups and (iii) others.

(144286)

129 N

Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what his policy is on the exclusion of Newcastle Central constituency from the possibility of receiving improvement grants in 2001-02; what the underspend was on funds for improvement grants in Newcastle upon Tyne in the three preceding years; and if he gave permission for such funds to be reapplied to other purposes.

(143876)

130 N

Mr David Curry (Skipton and Ripon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations his Department has received on his Guidance Notes on Capitalisation of Local Authority Pension Fund Contributions; and if he will treat North Yorkshire County Council's case for the capitalisation of £30 million of contributions as an exception within his discretion.

(144431)

131 N

Mr David Curry (Skipton and Ripon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps he will take to ease the burden on North Yorkshire County Council of the extra costs as a result of the apportionment of debt to the Public Works Loan Board between the county council and York City Council and the early repayment by York.

(144430)

132 N

Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will place in the Library a copy of his reply to the letter to him of 9th December from Mr Charles Turnock on the problems of the railway industry.

(144139)

133

Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the results of the consultation undertaken on the problems of the dispersal of foam plastics in 1998.

(144401)

134 N

Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will ensure that there is no disruption to rail and underground services to and from central London on 18th March 2001 due to political action seeking to prevent public protest.

(144443)

135

Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what the outcome was of the Transport Council held in Brussels on 20th and 21st December; and if he will make a statement.

(144177)

136

Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the new corporate structure proposed by Glas Cymru for the Welsh Water company Dwr Cymru.

(144299)

137

Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he will announce successors to the Partnership Investment Programme.

(144338)

138

Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the (a) financial security, (b) ability to meet regulatory targets and (c) potential risks to customers of a wholly debt financed water company.

(144301)

139

Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what new regeneration frameworks are under discussion with the EU Commission for permitting state aid for the physical regeneration of derelict and disused sites throughout England.

(144303)

140

Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions he has had with the Director General of Water Services about wholly debt financed water companies.

(144300)

141

Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what publicly funded urban regeneration programmes have not been able to go ahead after the cancellation of the Partnership Investment Programme.

(144387)

142

Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the comments by the Chief Drinking Water Inspector that any (water company restructuring) proposal must first guarantee that drinking water quality can be managed safely.

(144454)

143

Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what urban regeneration projects by English Partnerships have been cancelled after the ending of partnerships investment programme funding under EU rules; what arguments were put to the EU Commission in defence of the partnerships investment programme; and what assessment he has made of the prospects of the partnerships investment programme being allowed to continue under EU rules.

(144302)

144

Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which other EU Member States are supporting Her Majesty's Government's discussions to reverse the decision ending the Partnerships Investment Programme.

(144305)

145

Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he plans to make a statement on the future of the water industry before the Director General of Water Services publishes his decision on the Glas Cymru model.

(144337)

146

Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions are taking place with the EU Commission about alternatives to the partnerships investment programme.

(144304)

147

Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the (a) number and (b) percentage of dwellings in (i) the private rented sector, (ii) multiple occupation in (1) England and Wales, (2) Greater London and (3) the London Borough of Enfield in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

(144526)

148

Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the impact on (a) house prices and (b) levels of homelessness in the South East region of a decision to allow individual local authorities to decide the overall level of provision of new dwellings over the next 20 years; and if he will make a statement.

(144519)

149

Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions he has had with the train operating companies and London Underground regarding further integration of commuter services and ticketing arrangements in London and the South East; and if he will make a statement.

(144525)

150

Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will break down the total amount spent on each programme by his Department in each year since May 1997 in the (a) Edmonton parliamentary constituency and (b) London Borough of Enfield where applicable.

(144491)

151

Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what statutory provisions apply to allotment holders; what support and advice his Department provides; and if he will make a statement.

(144490)

152 N

Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is his policy on reduction of the payment of council tax benefit subsidy to local authorities that make council tax increases which he judges to be excessive; if he will make an exception to his policy for Worcestershire; and if he will make a statement.

(144513)

153 N

Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the implications of the development of a Worcester Parkway railway station for (a) car use and (b) rail use; and if he will make a statement.

(144506)

154 N

Sir Brian Mawhinney (North West Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what implications the recent court ruling relating to the impact of the Human Rights Act 1998 on planning law will have on his powers to decide on the planning application for a fifth terminal at Heathrow.

(144442)

155

Mrs Ray Michie (Argyll and Bute): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the Answer of 18th December 2000, Official Report, column 86W, if he will list the sites in remote and sparsely populated areas in (a) the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and (b) Argyll and Bute constituency; if he will publish the recommendations of the independent research regarding these sites; and if he will make a statement.

(144183)

156

Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the budgeted expenditure by Government office region in 2000-01 of (a) the Countryside Agency, (b) English Nature, (c) the Housing Corporation and (d) the Environment Agency.

(144274)

157

Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the budgeted expenditure of each of the government offices for the regions for 2000-01.

(144155)

158

Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what are the budgeted running costs and staff numbers for 2000-01 for the regional offices for (a) the Countryside Agency, (b) English Nature, (c) the Housing Corporation and (d) the Environment Agency.

(144154)

159

Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the national time commitment for the chairmen of the regional development agencies; and how many (a) male and (b) female members of the board of each regional development agency there are.

(144153)

160

Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the (a) budgeted running costs and (b) staff numbers for 2000-01 for each government office region in England.

(144275)

161

Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the (a) budgeted running costs, (b) budgeted expenditure and (c) staff numbers for 2000-01 for each of the regional development agencies.

(144273)

162

Mr Patrick Nicholls (Teignbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received regarding the safety of school buses and coaches used by school parties.

(144463)

163

Mr Patrick Nicholls (Teignbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many school coaches are (a) over 10 years old, (b) over 20 years old and (c) older than 20 years.

(144457)

164

Mr Patrick Nicholls (Teignbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many buses which have been subject to spot-checks have been found by the police to have defects in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the number which were school buses.

(144487)

165

Mr Patrick Nicholls (Teignbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what proportion of school buses have correctly-fitted seatbelts.

(144459)

166

Mr Patrick Nicholls (Teignbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment his Department has made of the number of school buses that comply with Government safety standards.

(144460)

167 N

Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what targets he has set for water preservation via the installation of water meters.

(143958)

168 N

Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many water meters have been installed in each of the last five years in (a) new and (b) old properties.

(143959)

169 N

Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what guidance he has given to water companies on advertising the option to fit water meters at no charge.

(143957)

170

Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make it his policy for high value cars destined to be crushed as a result of the owners' non-payment of road tax to be auctioned with the proceeds going to the relevant local highway authority.

(144473)

171 N

Mr Ken Purchase (Wolverhampton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make it his policy to ensure that all traffic management schemes are subjected to cost/benefit analysis and that the results of the analysis are in the public domain.

(143933)

172

Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what recent estimate he has made of the cost of environmental damage from the emission of carbon dioxide from domestic properties; how this figure is incorporated into his Department's estimated cost and savings of introducing improvements to Part1 of the Building Regulations; and if he will make a statement.

(144509)

173

Angela Smith (Basildon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many fatal road accidents there have been in Essex in each of the last seven years.

(144149)

174 N

Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will estimate the percentage of new houses which were built on previously developed land in (a) the South West and (b) the former Avon area in (i) 1976 to 1996 and (ii) 1996 to date.

(144366)

175

Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, by how much spending on health has increased since 1st May 1997; and by what proportion of GDP health spending will increase by 2002.

¶(144627)

176

Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many constituencies in England, broken down by Government office in each region, are ranked within the top 100 by overall unemployment rate.

(144282)

177 N

Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when it is intended that the report into the FSA's management of events concerning Equitable Life will be (a) completed and (b) published.

(144142)

178 N

Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many representations he has received concerning the effect of the climate change levy on Northern Ireland.

(143947)

179 N

Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the climate change levy on the use of liquid petroleum gas.

(143945)

180 N

Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his estimate is of the United Kingdom's net contribution to the budget of the EU for each year up to and including 2003-04.

(144119)

181 N

Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the climate change levy on the natural gas industry in Northern Ireland.

(143946)

182 N

Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of decisions taken at the Nice summit on the level of the United Kingdom's net contribution to the EU budget.

(144118)

183 N

Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of combined heat and power systems, including firms using their own CHP and firms importing or exporting energy, will be exempt from the climate change levy.

(144120)

184 N

Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if CAT marking covers the costs of asset management of unit trusts forming part of (a) stakeholder pensions and (b) individual savings accounts; and what plans he has to compare and benchmark such costs that are included in tax supported savings products.

(143875)

185 N

Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he began his review of Inland Revenue rules on partial or flexible retirement; if he will publish his guidelines for the conduct of this review; and when he expects the review to be concluded.

(143878)

186 N

Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many cases have been undertaken, and how many successful prosecutions have resulted each year using each sub-section of section 47 of the Financial Services Act 1986; and if the replacement section of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 is now fully operational.

(143880)

187 N

Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many times in each of the last five years the statutory insurance regulators have warned insurance providers that they are in breach of solvency requirements.

(144182)

188 N

Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will review the statutory basis for the role of the appointed actuary in insurance enterprises.

(143942)

189 N

Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what action the Financial Services Authority takes to monitor the distribution of orphan assets.

(143941)

190 N

Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if it is his policy that appointed actuaries in insurance enterprises can serve as chief executives.

(143943)

191

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the current level of unemployment within the Greater London area is among (a) men and (b) women.

(144135)

192

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many single parent families there are where the sole parent is (a) the mother and (b) the father.

(144129)

193

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many children under the age of five years are living in a one parent family.

Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Inland Revenue Service Commissioners' Report 1999-2000 will be presented to the House and published.

(143894)

196

Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the outcome was of the ECOFIN Council held in Brussels on 18th December;and if he will make a statement.

(144178)

197 N

Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the number of people in April 1999 entitled to higher pay as a result of the national minimum wage, using the revised ONS methodology.

(144111)

198 N

Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate how many people would have been earning below £3.60 an hour in April in the absence of the national minimum wage.

(144112)

199 N

Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate how many 18 to 21 years olds (a) earned between £3.00 and £3.60 an hour in April 1999 and (b) earned between £3.20 and £3.70 an hour in October.

(144114)

200 N

Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the financial impact, in terms of in-work benefits and tax credits, of the minimum wage being set at £5.00 an hour in October 2001.

(144113)

201

Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress is being made on the estabishment of a Central Services Organisation for credit unions; and if he will make a statement.

(144518)

202 N

Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will review his decision not to donate Darwin House, Shrewsbury to the National Trust; and if he will make a statement.

(144099)

203

Mrs Ray Michie (Argyll and Bute): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the availability of aggregate material for recycling in (a) the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and (b) Argyll and Bute constituency; and if he will make a statement.

(144184)

204

Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families in Wansbeck are in receipt of working families tax credit.

(144292)

205

Mr Richard Ottaway (Croydon South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason the guidance from the Insurance Directorate to all companies of 18th December 1998, on guaranteed annuity option costs and policyholders' reasonable expectations was withdrawn on 20th July.

(144170)

206 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many working people have benefited from the working families tax credit in the Vale of Clwyd.

(144470)

207 N

Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to collate information on the number of occupational pension plans wound up by employers where a surplus was recorded.

(144140)

208 N

Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer, Official Report, column 86W, for what reason he is unable to provide the calculation of income tax requested, based on an average person in the circumstances described.

(143893)

209

Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the study of the ISA market carried out for the Treasury by McKinsey's to which reference (paragraph 5.15) is made in the Treasury's publication 'Helping people to save, the modernisation of Britain's Tax and Benefits System, Number 7'.

¶(144567)

210

Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the timetable for implementation of the climate change levy.

(144474)

211 N

Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many adults are aged between 18 and 24 years; and if he will estimate the number of these who are (a) employed, (b) self-employed, (c) in full-time education and (d) in other categories of economic activities.

(144355)

212 N

Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate how many (a) pensioners and (b) other people are living in rural areas; and if he will provide corresponding estimates for (i) 10 and (ii) 20 years earlier.

(144359)

213 N

Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of introducing a tax credit for all taxpayers paying income tax at either the lower or the standard rate, set at £1,000 and restricted to 10 per cent.

(144356)

214 N

Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the yield from reducing the annual threshold at which the child tax credit begins to be tapered away by (a) £1,000, (b) £2,000, (c) £3,000, (d) £4,000 and (e) £5,000.

(144358)

215 N

Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 18th December, Official Report, column 85W, on the child tax credit, what plans he has to ensure that the credit is received by taxpayers with children who have not returned the claim form which he issued; and if he will estimate the latest date by which a claim would need to be made in order for the credit to be paid through the PAYE system at the start of the 2001-02 tax year.

(144357)

216

Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what EU monies are distributed to the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community; what the objectives of that organisation are; and when he last met representatives of that organisation.

¶(144629)

217

Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the prototype zones developed under the Eurofacit programme, for providing information on the euro.

¶(144633)

218 N

Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the occasions, and the individuals concerned since May 1997 on which British delegations to European Council meetings have been led by persons other than Members of either House.

(144349)

219

Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has received from Clive Stafford Smith OBE, the Justice Center and others in relation to intervention in the Florida capital case of the British citizen, Krishna Maharaj; and if he will make a statement.

(144464)

220

Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the UK Government is taking to ensure civil society groups are involved in discussions on the search for peace in Colombia.

(144425)

221

Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the UN presence in Colombia.

(144426)

222

Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many British personnel work for Minurso; what is the proposed expenditure for the 2001-02 financial year; and if he will make a statement.

(144516)

223 N

Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Burma concerning U Pa Pa Lay and U Lu Saw and their continued detention; and if he will make a statement.

(144524)

224 N

Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what visits officials from his Department plan to make to Western Sahara.

(144515)

225 N

Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations have been made to the Government of China concerning the continued detention of Ngawang Choephal, a Tibetan; and if he will make a statement.

(144523)

226

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to visit the Republic of Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

(144407)

227

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many ministers from his Department have visited northern Cyprus since May 1997.

(144406)

228

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has recently had with Greece and Turkey on the proximity talks on Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

(144400)

229

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the situation of Mr Panikos Tsiakourmas, who was arrested by Turkish military forces in Cyprus; and what representations the British High Commissioner has made to the Turkish authorities in relation to the welfare and whereabouts of Mr Tsiakourmas.

¶(144625)

230

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last met President Clerides of the Republic of Cyprus.

(144408)

231

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with Mr Rauf Denktash on freedom of the Press in northern Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

(144412)

232

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the present legal position of Mrs Titina Loizidou and the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg in the case of Loizidou against Turkey.

(144410)

233

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussion he has had with the Turkish Government on the recent prison riots in Turkey; and if he will make a statement.

¶(144580)

234

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who Her Majesty's Government's representatives will be at the next meeting of the United Nations' sponsored proximity talks on Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

(144402)

235

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had recently with foreign ministers of European countries on Cyprus' application for membership of the European Union; and if he will make a statement.

(144409)

236

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with Mr Rauf Denktash regarding the legal action taken against Turkish Cypriot opposition politicians and journalists in northern Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

(144413)

237

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many ministers from his Department have visited the Republic of Cyprus since May 1997.

(144399)

238

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has recently had with the Turkish Government on the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Loizidou against Turkey; and if he will make a statement.

(144411)

239

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many chapters of the European Union's application for the membership of the Republic of Cyprus have been successfully negotiated; how many remain to be approved; and if he will make a statement.

¶(144581)

240 N

Mrs Ann Cryer (Keighley): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement about progress made on the Government's commitment to nuclear disarmament, as agreed in the Non-Proliferation Treaty final document.

(144103)

241 N

Mrs Ann Cryer (Keighley): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress his Department has made on the reduction of non-strategic weapons, as agreed in the Non-Proliferation Treaty final document.

(144102)

242 N

Mrs Ann Cryer (Keighley): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made on honouring the commitment made under the Non-Proliferation Treaty for all the nuclear weapon states to engage in the process of disarmament as soon as appropriate.

(144105)

243 N

Mrs Ann Cryer (Keighley): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken towards honouring the commitment to a diminishing role for nuclear weapons in security policies, as agreed in the Non-Proliferation Treaty final document.

(144104)

244 N

Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last reviewed his Department's travel advice in relation to (a) Israel and (b) Jerusalem; and if he will make a statement.

(144368)

245 N

Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last raised with the Iranian Government the position of the Jews imprisoned in Iran; and if he will make a statement.

(144369)

246 N

Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the UN on mediations between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and opposition groups.

(144020)

247 N

Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the situation in Afghanistan.

(144021)

248 N

Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contacts he has had with UNITA in order to obtain information about Jason Pope.

(144023)

249 N

Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action he is taking to establish the whereabouts of Jason Pope.

(144022)

250 N

Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on UN mediations between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and opposition groups.

(144019)

251 N

Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on proposals being considered by the UN Security Council from Russia and the US to increase existing sanctions against the Taliban.

(144018)

252 N

Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he and his Ministers last contacted Jason Pope's family.

(144008)

253 N

Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with representatives of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

(144017)

254

Mrs Llin Golding (Newcastle-under-Lyme): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what changes there have been in United Nations sanctions in relation to the Taliban.

(144437)

255

Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Burma; and if he will make a statement.

(144489)

256 N

Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Windsor of 15th December, Official Report, column 298W, on Belarus, when his Department was informed of the British Council's decision; and what consultation took place with his Department as part of the British Council's strategic review.

(143709)

257 N

Dr John Marek (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on the boundary between Belize and Guatemala; and what action he will take in the event of a threat to the territorial integrity of Belize.

¶(144569)

258 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what measures he has taken to coordinate policy on export licences with the Department of Trade and Industry; and if he will make a statement.

(144123)

259 N

Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what criteria he uses to decide whether to mention particular countries in his Department's Human Rights Annual Report 2000.

(144016)

260

Mr Roger Berry (Kingswood): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department has commissioned any cost-benefit analysis of social services care provision for people remaining in their homes.

(144467)

261

Mr Roger Berry (Kingswood): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will indicate for each local authority the cost, as a proportion of total revenue, of administering charges for social care services.

Mr John Burnett (Torridge and West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the tuberculosis vaccine will be available in the South West.

(144433)

264

Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what changes have been introduced to the charging regime for specimen bottles; and if he will make a statement.

(144514)

265

Mr John Cummings (Easington): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients have been diagnosed as diabetic in the area covered by the Easington Primary Care Group in the age groups (a) 10 to 19 years, (b) 20 to 29 years, (c) 30 to 39 years, (d) 40 to 49 years, (e) 50 to 59 years, (f) 60 to 69 years and (g) 70 to 79 years.

(144293)

266

Mr John Cummings (Easington): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures he is taking to improve doctor/patient ratios within the area covered by the Easington Primary Care Group; and if he will make a statement.

(144294)

267 N

Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action the Government is taking to ensure that pregnant teenagers receive free impartial advice about (a) abortion and (b) motherhood.

(144185)

268 N

Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if it is his policy that very sheltered housing should completely replace residential care.

(144186)

269 N

Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the practical implementation of the proposals for the functioning of the new care trusts.

(144192)

270 N

Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the role of local councils following the abolition of community health councils.

(144193)

271 N

Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, against what standards local councils will judge the care trusts which commission care for older people.

(144194)

272 N

Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Patients Advocacy Liaison Service will be (a) accessible to the least mobile older people and (b) independent of the NHS.

(144190)

273 N

Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if advocacy, liaison and facilitation will be core functions of the Patients Advocacy Liaison Service.

(144191)

274 N

Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, in which papers and journals the vacancy for the chairmanship of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children NHS Trust was advertised; and on what criteria the publications were selected.

(144444)

275

Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what response he has received on the operation of the new drop-in centres; and if he will make a statement.

(144493)

276

Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps NICE is taking to monitor (a) the use of and (b) adverse reactions to Ritalin in children; and if he will make a statement.

(144486)

277 N

Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures he is taking and what resources he will provide to ease bed blocking in North Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement.

(144441)

278 N

Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the areas of policy-making for which the Food Standards Agency is responsible and those areas of policy-making for which his Department is responsible.

(144122)

279 N

Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many legal claims have been made against (a) health authorities, (b) health trusts and (c) local authorities that relate to pressure sores in each of the last five years.

[R](143954)

280 N

Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many complaints have been made to (a) health authorities, (b) health trusts and (c) local authorities relating to pressure sores in each of the last five years.

[R](143953)

281 N

Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what role he has in the selection of registered authorised persons who monitor sterilisation services in the NHS; and what funding his Department gives them.

[R](143956)

282 N

Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many claims against health authorities have been settled out of court that relate to pressure sores in each of the last five years.

[R](143955)

283

Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many artificial limbs supplied to NHS patients in each year since 1995 were replaced because the original was ill-fitting.

(144472)

284

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list in descending order the number of children per 1,000 children who are on the child protection register in each standard planning region of the United Kingdom.

(144174)

285 N

Mr David Ruffley (Bury St. Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the target turnaround time is for the assessment of full business cases for computer systems of a value in excess of one million pounds submitted by NHS hospital trusts by (a) regional offices accredited for approval of business cases up to a value of £20 million and (b) regional offices without such accreditation.

(144254)

286 N

Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to suspend the import of French beef until French herds are proved to be BSE-free; and if he will make a statement.

(144101)

287

Mr Ian Stewart (Eccles): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many adverse reactions to the meningitis vaccine were reported, broken down by degree of severity, in each of the last five years.

(144510)

288

Mr Ian Stewart (Eccles): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the Government will publish a national strategy on HIV for public consultation.

(144508)

289

Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what sanctions will be applied under the proposed arrangements for clinical governance to clinicians who refuse to take part in audit and clinical governance arrangements.

(144439)

290 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the Government will impose a precautionary ban on French beef imports until an assessment can be made of the risks to the consumer.

(144390)

291 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research the Government is funding into the possibility of vCJD infection by means other than the consumption of beef.

(144372)

292 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the Government will make the import of over-30-month beef illegal.

(144247)

293 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list categories of food product covered by the ban on the sale of imported over 30 month meat.

(144330)

294 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment the Government has made of the threat to human heath posed by the illegal sale of imported over-30-month beef; and when that assessment was made.

(144250)

295

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice the Government has given to schools on the safety of French beef.

(144310)

296 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations the Government has made to the European Commission concerning the safety of French beef.

(144315)

297 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what investigation the Government has undertaken into the extent of the illegal sale of imported over-30-month meat in the United Kingdom; what conclusions have been reached; what measures the Government has taken to prevent such sales into the British food chain; and what representations he has received regarding such sales.

(144249)

298 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which categories of imported animal-derived products are covered by the ban on sales of over-30-month meat.

(144311)

299 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assumptions about French BSE controls underlay the advice from the Food Standards Agency on French beef imports.

(144316)

300 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what powers the Food Standards Agency has to ban the import of meat on the grounds of risk to human health; and what recent changes there have been to these powers.

(144373)

301 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice the Government provides to consumers regarding consumption of French beef included in products that are not labelled with the country of origin of their ingredients.

(144393)

302 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he was first informed of the contents of the report to Directorate D of the Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General of a veterinary mission to France relating to certain protective measures against BSE and scrapie, with particular reference to implementation of Commission Decisions 94/381/EC, 98/272/EC, 98/703/EC and 97/18/EC; and what action he has taken to protect British consumers since then.

(144258)

303 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on research conducted by Dr Christl Donnelly on the incidence of BSE in France.

(144334)

304 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice the Government has given to retailers, caterers and consumers on the risks, identification and avoidance of imported over-30-month meat.

(144248)

305 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what investigation the Food Standards Agency has undertaken concerning the scientific grounds for banning French beef imports.

(144336)

306 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) membership, (b) duration, (c) itinerary and (d) cost were of the recent Food Standards Agency mission to France to investigate BSE controls.

(144342)

307 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what investigatory powers the Food Standards Agency has in regard to imported food and, in particular, French beef.

(144313)

308 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the decision of the Food Standards Agency to commission research by Dr Christl Donnelly on the number of cases of BSE in the Republic of Ireland.

(144326)

309 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, under what circumstances beef sourced from animals raised in France can be included in a product sold in Britain and labelled as British.

(144354)

310 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on Government policy on pithing in slaughter houses.

(144396)

311 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the impact of BSE controls in (a) Spain and (b) Sweden on the safety of beef products imported into the UK.

(144312)

312 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what dates he (a) spoke by telephone to and (b) met (i) the French Minister of Health and (ii) the European Commissioner with responsibility for health and consumer protection, to discuss the contents of the report to Directorate D of the Health and Consumer Protection Direction-General of a veterinary mission to France relating to certain protective measures against BSE and scrapie, with particular reference to implementation of Comission Decisions 94/381/EC, 98/272/EC, 98/703/EC and 97/18/EC.

(144257)

313 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what studies the Government has conducted of the impact on health of eating French beef products.

(144389)

314 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps have been taken to inform consumers about the inclusion of processed meat products in the ban on sales of imported over-30-month meat.

(144492)

315 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what powers the Government has to ban the import of meat on the grounds of risk to human health.

(144309)

316 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the illegal sale of imported over-30-month beef into the British food chain.

(144255)

317

Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if, following the appeal court decisions upholding the convictions of Ruth Wyner and John Brock, he will review the provision of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 that disallowed a valid defence.

(144471)

318 N

Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals in each of the last three years have been (a) arrested for and (b) convicted of wounding with a legally-held handgun.

¶(144575)

319 N

Mr Robin Corbett (Birmingham, Erdington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times in each of the past six months the North Wales Police has inspected its firearms dealer register certificate No. 116 for the purposes of (a) the transfers of firearms and ammunition and (b) the number of grants of Section 8 authorities under the Firearms Act 1968.

(144446)

320

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been convicted of housing benefit fraud in each of the last three years.

(144137)

321

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many secure unit places there are for juvenile (a) boys and (b) girls in the Greater London area.

¶(144579)

322

Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the National Asylum Support Service ensures that other agencies who provide accommodation under the dispersal scheme have suitable expertise to obtain suitable accommodation for disabled asylum seekers.

(144420)

323

Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training has been given to workers at the National Asylum Support Service in order to help them deal with disability and accommodation issues.

(144419)

324

Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what expertise in disability issues the National Asylum Support Service has to enable it to assess and provide for the housing needs of asylum seekers.

(144417)

325

Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the National Asylum Support Service intends to monitor the needs of disabled asylum seekers.

(144421)

326

Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the National Asylum Support Service will produce an annual report.

(144418)

327 N

Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many recorded incidents of racial harassment there were in Coventry during 1999-2000; and what steps he is taking to combat this crime.

(144189)

328 N

Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received from the West Mercia Police on the case of Hilda Murrell; and what is the outcome of the most recent DNA tests.

(142806)

329

Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the radar detectors offered for sale by Roadnet; what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the equipment; and what plans he has for preventing evasion of radar detectors.

(144146)

330

Caroline Flint (Don Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will review regulations which (a) prevent and (b) restrict community groups and parish councils organising dances on a Sunday.

(144159)

331

Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress he has made in reviewing the cost of family visitor visa refusal appeals.

(144147)

332 N

Mr Douglas Hogg (Sleaford and North Hykeham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Right honourable Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham will receive a reply to his letters to the Minister of State at the Home Office of 26th October, 9th November and 20th November, regarding Narcissa Abad and Mrs Reid.

(144121)

333

Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress has been made in the introduction of the Casework programme of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate; and if he will make a statement.

(144494)

334 N

Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of (a) the level of cover provided by the fire service in Worcestershire and (b) the central government funding available for this service; and if he will make a statement.

(144512)

335 N

Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average length of time was beween arrest and (i) commencement of trial and (ii) sentence for (a) young offenders and (b) adult offenders in the last year.

(144440)

336 N

Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what arrests were made, and under what powers, by Royal Parks Constabulary police officers in connection with the microlight landing in Buckingham Palace grounds on 28th December.

¶(144626)

337

Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) operational and (b) target strength of the British Transport Police is in (i) London South Region, (ii) all London regions and (iii) the North West.

(144134)

338

Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the time from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders in each year since 1st May 1997 for (a) Shropshire and (b) Shrewsbury and Atcham; and if he will make a statement.

(144158)

339 N

Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the visa application of Ermina Andola Campillos will be decided.

(144504)

340 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many full-time equivalent teacher/lecturer posts there were in the Prison Service (a) in total and (b) per thousand prisoners in each of the past 20 years; and if he will make a statement.

(144353)

341 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the education budget was for the Prison Service in each of the past 20 years; and if he will make a statement.

(144348)

342

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persons in possession of a firearm and suspected of being in the course of committing a crime have been (a) shot and killed and (b) shot and wounded by armed police officers in each of the past 20 years.

(144298)

343

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers were found guilty of unlawful killing using firearms in each of the past 20 years.

(144169)

344 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) GCSEs, (b) A levels, (c) NVQs, (d) ordinary degrees, (e) Master's degrees and (f) doctorates were gained by prisoners in each of the last 20 years; how many prisoners per 1,000 each category represents; and if he will make a statement.

(144352)

345 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average recidivism rate was for (a) all prisoners and (b) those prisoners who have attained a degree in prison in each of the last 20 years; and if he will make a statement.

(144351)

346 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many hours were spent per week on average in education by prisoners in each of the last 20 years; and if he will make a statement.

(144350)

347

Mr Jonathan R. Shaw (Chatham and Aylesford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will request the Director General of the Prison Service to provide a reply to correspondence and telephone calls from the honourable Member for Chatham and Aylesford concerning a constituent.

(144160)

348

Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what circumstances prevent a person who has a criminal record from receiving compensation from the criminal injuries compensation Authority; and to what extent this is affected by whether they had a criminal record at the time they became a victim of crime.

(144428)

349

Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what action her Department has taken to help prevent the spread of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa.

(144468)

350 N

Dr John Marek (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her Answer of 13th December, Official Report, column 135W, on St. Helena, if she will place in the Library a copy of the draft report resulting from the study of options for sea and air access to St. Helena.

¶(144572)

351 N

Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what estimate he has made of the number of couples who will commence divorce or nullity proceedings in the 12 months after the introduction of pension sharing on 1st December.

(144011)

352 N

Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many couples had begun though not concluded divorce or nullity proceedings on 1st December.

(144015)

353

Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will list the local, sub-regional and regional partnerships, boards of zones and other cross-sectoral bodies supported by his Department; how many of each there are; and with which funding streams they are associated.

(144438)

354

Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he has taken to promote community relations in the Drumcree area since January 2000.

(144164)

355

Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South): To ask the President of the Council, what information she has collated on (a) sitting hours and (b) times of divisions in other parliaments.

(144422)

356 N

Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): To ask the President of the Council, when the explanatory notes for the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000, the Disqualifications Act 2000, and the Political Parties Election and Referendums Act 2000 will be available in the Vote Office; and if she will ensure that the explanatory notes will be available with future Acts at the same time that those Acts are published.

(144132)

357

Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the increase of state aid permissible under the Nice Treaty.

¶(144632)

358

Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on Home Affairs issues subject to QMV under Article 67 TEC.

¶(144635)

359

Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Prime Minister, what manner of directive is planned to promote gender equality in areas other than employment and professional life, as set out in Annex I, V(c) of the Nice Presidency Conclusions.

¶(144640)

360

Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list those elements of QMV agreed at Nice for which the UK has secured an opt-out; and if he will identify the legal case for each opt-out.

¶(144636)

361

Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on his policy towards paragraph 20 of Annex I of the Nice Presidency Conclusions; and if the paragraph applies to the UK.

¶(144639)

362

Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the planned (i) budget and (ii) roles of the (a) European Monitoring Centre on Change, (b) European Institute for Gender Issues and (c) Gender Expert network, referred to in the Nice Presidency conclusions.

¶(144641)

363

Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on his position on including a declaration on Sport in the Presidency Conclusions of Nice, indicating the Treaty base for such a declaration.

Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the impact on NATO of Reinforced Co-operation, Clause I (2), as agreed at Nice.

¶(144637)

366

Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will deposit in the Library a copy of the letters from Nice of the (i) Spanish and (ii) Italian Prime Ministers on operational co-operation in controlling the EU external borders, referred to in Presidency conclusion section 49.

¶(144582)

367

Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Prime Minister, to which two documents section 50 of the Nice Presidency conclusions refers.

¶(144638)

368

Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Prime Minister, if revised Article 111 TEC applies to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

¶(144631)

369

Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the effect of the Nice Treaty on UK subjects committing perjury before the European Court of Justice and Court of First Instance.

¶(144630)

370 N

Sir Brian Mawhinney (North West Cambridgeshire): To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 18th December, Official Report, column 14W, what action he will take in respect of the visits by the honourable Member for Rossendale and Darwen and the Right honourable Member for Dulwich and West Norwood to the constituency of the Right honourable Member for North West Cambridgeshire without notifying the Right honourable Member of their visit to his constituency.

(144432)

371

Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many children in the U.K. were living in families dependent on supplmentary benefits or income support (a) in total and (b) as a proportion of all children in the UK in each year since 1979.

(144465)

372 N

Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many children living in households with an income of less than 60 per cent. of the median have a parent in receipt of (a) incapacity benefit and (b) severe disablement allowance.

(144108)

373 N

Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what percentage of households with children in which an adult is in receipt of (a) incapacity benefit and (b) severe disablement allowance have an income of less than 60 per cent. of the median.

(144109)

374 N

Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many (a) inquiries, (b) applications and (c) decisions have resulted from the minimum income guarantee advertising campaign.

(144107)

375 N

Mr John Butterfill (Bournemouth West): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people have contracted back into SERPS from COMPS and approved personal pensions in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

(144284)

376 N

Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list (a) the number of housing benefit claimants, (b) the average amount paid, (c) the administrative cost of each claim and (d) the average number of cases not processed in Islington in each of the last five years.

(144520)

377 N

Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what information his Department has collated on the performance of IT Net in delivering housing benefit contracts; and if he will place it in the Library.

(144521)

378 N

Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will publish the conclusions of his inspection of the administration of housing benefit in Islington.

(144522)

379 N

Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will set out the national insurance rebate incentives for (a) providers and (b) policyholders taking out stakeholder pension products from April 2001.

(143877)

380

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many retired people's only income is the state retirement pension.

(144162)

381

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioners in the Tooting parliamentary constituency (a) qualified for the winter fuel payment in 2000 and (b) qualified for the minimum income guarantee; and if he will make a statement.

¶(144578)

382 N

Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if the very sheltered housing scheme is intended to provide a replacement for housing benefit.

(144187)

383 N

Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list those local authorities which do not operate the Do Not Redirect scheme for benefit post.

(143952)

384 N

Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the cost of raising the minimum income guarantee for (a) a single pensioner and (b) a pensioner couple by (i) £5, (ii) £10 and (iii) £15 per week.

(144253)

385

Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what progress is being made on the review of the minimum funding requirement; and if he will make a statement.

(144495)

386

Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the level of staff turnover in the Benefits Agency was in each of the last five years for which figures are available in (a) the UK, (b) Greater London and (c) Leaside District; and if he will make a statement.

(144488)

387 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioners in the Vale of Clwyd (a) qualify for the minimum income guarantee and (b) qualified for the winter fuel payment in 2000.

(144456)

388 N

Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will provide a breakdown by benefit of his estimated saving of £1 billion in benefit fraud by 2006.

(144110)

389 N

Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the proportion of pensioners in (a) rural and (b) urban areas who opt to have their pensions paid into a bank account by means of automated credit transfer.

(144364)

390 N

Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many and what proportion of (a) men and (b) women reaching pension age in the most recent year for which figures are available had entitlement to a full basic state pension in their own right.

(144361)

391 N

Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list those local authorities which, in the most recent year for which figures are available, received financial rewards under the weekly benefit savings scheme for tackling housing benefit fraud, indicating in each case the amount received.

(144362)

392 N

Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the number of people aged under 25 years who are members of occupational pension schemes.

(144360)

393 N

Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the number of children who are in families which have been dependent on income support for (a) more than one year and (b) more than two years; if he will provide separate estimates for one-parent families and two-parent families; and if he will estimate, for each family type, the number of such children who are aged (i) 0-4, (ii) 5-10, (iii) 11-15 and (iv) 16 years and above.

(144363)

394 N

Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Solicitor General, how many prosecutions have commenced arising from racist actions as a consequence of the present situation in the Middle East; what policy the CPS is adopting towards reports to them by the police in these circumstances; and if he will make a statement.

(144377)

395 N

Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the meetings (a) he and (b) officials of his Department have held with recruitment agencies during the last two years.

(144480)

396 N

Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will publish the minutes of the meetings of the ministerial group on job losses in the manufacturing sector.

(144416)

397

Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he will publish a White Paper on the regulation of financial management companies which advise the public on restructuring borrowing.

(144483)

398 N

Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the effect which the new Employment Agency regulations will have on recruitment agencies which arrange work experience for people of school age.

(144482)

399 N

Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make it his policy to require companies and limited liability partnerships to declare their policy towards, and their payments of, bonuses and special payments to their staff.

(143874)

400 N

Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if Ernst and Young have applied for registration as a limited liability partnership; and if he will make a statement.

(143960)

401 N

Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make it his policy to require companies to declare their policy towards stock options for their staff, the take-up and potential take-up of such options, and the effect on the companies' equity.

(143879)

402 N

Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he plans to include comparable pension provision in the transfer of undertakings employment rights entitlements.

(144181)

403 N

Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if the Companies Registrar has published guidance on the information he requires before registering a limited liability partnership.

(144097)

404

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many workers have benefited from the introduction of the national minimum wage in the Tooting parliamentary constituency.

¶(144576)

405

Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many workers in the Greater London area have benefited from the introduction of the national minimum wage.

¶(144577)

406

Mr John Cummings (Easington): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many of the workers who were declared redundant at the Dewherst Clothing Factory in Peterlee have been assisted into work by the Textile Task Force; and if he will make a statement.

(144297)

407

Mr John Cummings (Easington): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures he is taking to assist workers who have been declared redundant by the Courtaulds textile factory in Peterlee; and if he will make a statement.

(144296)

408

Mr John Cummings (Easington): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many settlements have been made in each month and each area since January 2000 in respect of claims for (a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger; and if he will make a statement.

(144295)

409 N

Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which Post Office assets have been written off as part of the £100 million exceptional charge in the first half 2000-01 accounts.

(144145)

410 N

Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if his Department paid all correctly presented bills within 30 days of receipt of goods or services or an invoice in (a) 1999 and (b) 2000.

(144143)

411 N

Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when Nissan first applied to his Department for regional selective assistance for their Sunderland plant.

(144144)

412 N

Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many sub-post offices closed between the end of the first half of the current financial year and the latest date for which figures are available.

(144151)

413

Mr Stephen Hesford (Wirral West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures he is taking to liberalise the energy market; and if he will make a statement.

(144429)

414

Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures his Department has put in place to publicise (a) the national minimum wage legislation and (b) the confidential national minimum wage helpline.

(144131)

415

Mr Richard Page (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many sub-post offices closed beween 1st January and 1st December.

(144280)

416

Mr Richard Page (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he will publish the list of rural post offices that will formally be required by the Government to be maintained by the Post Office network as set out in conclusion two of the Performance and Innovation Unit Report 'Counter Revolution: Modernising the Post Office Network'.

(144267)

417 N

Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to review the law relating to the theft of intellectual property; and if he will make a statement.

(144505)

418

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the recommended time is for the issuing of export licences; what percentage of applications have taken longer to process than this time in each of the last 24 months; and if he will make a statement.

(144166)

419 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many workers have benefited from the introduction of the minimum wage in the Vale of Clwyd.

(144453)

420 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the pollution incidents involving discharges above 0.01 tonnes in the Irish Sea since 28th July, indicating the date, the size of the incident, the name of the company that reported the spill and the name of the company responsible in each case.

(144163)

421 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many employers have been prosecuted under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998.

(144449)

422

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many export licences were granted in each of the past 10 years.

(144173)

423

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many staff have been employed in his Export Licence Department in each of the past 10 years.

(144175)

424

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he has taken to co-ordinate policies on export licences with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and if he will make a statement.

(144161)

425

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what his Department's policy is on issuing export licences for repeat orders; and if he will make a statement.

(144179)

426 N

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much was spent in total on advertising (a) electricity privatisation, (b) gas privatisation, (c) telecoms privatisation, (d) rail privatisation and (e) the minimum wage since its introduction.

(144451)

427

Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list in descending order the 10 countries to which the largest number of export licences applied in 1999.

(144180)

428

Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will meet representatives of the British ceramic manufacturing industry to discuss the effect of increased gas prices on competitiveness; and if he will make a statement.

(144447)

429 N

Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what his most recent estimate is of the number and percentage of people living in rural areas who live within (a) one mile and (b) half a mile of a post office; and if he will provide corresponding estimates for years since 1979.

(144365)

430

Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has received from Corus on redundancies at the Llanwern plant in South Wales; and if he will place a summary of them in the Library.

(144141)

431 N

Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the Welsh Assembly and others on declaring St. David's Day a public holiday in Wales.

(144285)

432 N

Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress is being made with regard to the establishment of a prison in northern or central Wales; and if he will make a statement.

[Question Unstarred](142645)

433 N

Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress is being made towards preparing legislation to reform licensing hours in England and Wales.

[Question Unstarred](142652)

434 N

Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications of the EU ban on pithing on the safety of abattoir employees.

[Transferred](144340)

435

Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what initiatives NATO is assessing to combat the spread and illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons in the Euro-Atlantic area.

[Transferred](144423)

436

Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what requirement there is for death certificates to record information about MRSA and other hospital-acquired infections as a cause of death.

[Transferred](144461)

437

Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have died from MRSA and other hospital-acquired infections in the last year for which figures are available.

[Transferred](144475)

438

Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what information the Health and Safety Executive collates on the number of people suffering from work-related cases of RSI; and if he will make a statement.